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Angiopoietin is part of the family of vascular growth factors that plays a role in embryonic and postnatal angiogenesis. Angiopoietin signaling most directly corresponds with angiogenesis, the process by which new arteries and veins form preexisting blood cells. Angiogenesis proceeds through sprouting, endothelial cell migration, proliferation, and vessel destabilization and stabilization. They are responsible for assembling and disassembling the endothelial lining of blood vessels. Angiopoietin cytokines are involved with controlling microvascular permeability, vasodilation, and vasoconstriction by signaling smooth muscle cells surrounding vessels. There are now four identified angiopoietins: Ang1, Ang2, Ang3, Ang4.

Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) is a key regulator of angiogenesis that exerts context-dependent effects on ECs. Ang-2 binds the endothelial-specific receptor tyrosine kinase 2 (Tie2) and acts as a negative regulator of Ang-1/Tie2 signaling during angiogenesis, thereby controlling the responsiveness of ECs to exogenous cytokines. Recent data from tumors indicate that under certain conditions Ang-2 can also promote angiogenesis.

VEGF-A (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A) is a dimeric glycoprotein considered to be the main inducer of human blood vessels. It belongs to the VEGF family of related growth factors, along with VEGF-B, -C, -D (also known as FlGF) and PLGF (Placental Growth Factor). VEGF-A plays a crucial role in vasculogenesis, the process by which blood vessels are generated and angiogenesis, the expansion of an existing vascular bed by sprouting of new blood vessels as it acts as a highly specific mitogen for endothelial cells. Angiogenesis typically occurs as a response to a stimulus such as tissue hypoxia or other stress and results in improved perfusion and increased oxygen delivery. Angiogenis is essential during pregnancy and in tissue growth and repair and is also a key underlying process in the pathogenesis of several major human diseases including cancer.